West Hartford Police were involved in the apprehension of a suspect early Wednesday morning who has now been arrested and charged with a Tuesday murder in Middletown.

By Ronni Newton

A murder suspect and another person were struck by gunfire in an incident involving West Hartford Police early Wednesday morning and the suspect has now been arrested and charged.

West Hartford Police Capt. Aaron Vafiades said early Wednesday that a regional radio broadcast had been issued by Middletown Police who were looking for a vehicle involved in a homicide.

According to a news release from Middletown Police, the vehicle was believed to be involved in a suspicious death that was discovered by police at approximately 3:23 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 29, in the West Lake area of the city. That incident involved a female victim who had “suffered a gunshot wound and other injuries and was found deceased at scene,” Middletown Police said in a news release.

Barrington Oneil Brown. Courtesy of Middletown Police

The suspect in the shooting was identified by detectives as Barrington Oneil Brown, 43, and Middletown Police had developed probable cause for his arrest and were looking for his vehicle.

West Hartford received a hit on an automated license plate reader (ALPR) in town overnight, and responded to the area of New Park Avenue, Vafiades said.

The vehicle was located a short time later and West Hartford Police attempted a motor vehicle stop, but the vehicle fled. Officers pursued, and deployed tire deflation devices, but the driver continued to flee east on Flatbush Avenue into Hartford.

“The vehicle came to a stop in the area of 50 Flatbush Avenue in Hartford at which time an exchange of gunfire took place between the suspect and West Hartford officers,” Vafiades said.

West Hartford officers were not injured, he said.

Both the suspect, Brown, and another individual “were struck by gunfire and suffered non-life-threatening injuries,” Vafiades said.

Middletown Police took Brown into custody and was holding him at a medical facility pending arraignment on charges of murder, second degree stalking, and unlawful discharge of a firearm.

Further information is expected from the Connecticut Office of the Inspector General (OIG) which responded to the scene due to the involvement of officers in the shooting, and they have assumed responsibility for further investigation.

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